Meet the Parents
by Lady Aphadriel-order of the kai
Summary: AU Timetravel  Deathly Hallows compliant  Harry, Neville, and Emma are given one last surprise by Dumbledore: go back in time to meet their parents. Marauders Empaths & Deatheaters, oh my!  Draco/Emma H/G R/Hr Nev/Luna Ced/Jane James/lily Lucius/Narcissa
1. Dumbledore's Last Surprise

Disclaimer: I am not associated with JKRowling or any of her publishers, this is purely a fan appreciation story and I do not profit from this work (more's the pity).

**Description**: After the defeat of Voldemort, Harry, Emma, and Neville are given one last present from Dumbledore: The opportunity to travel in time to meet their parents. What starts off as a simple, rewarding vacation, becomes complicated as other's fall through time & old enemies rise up. Really, should Harry have expected to have a normal school year?

**Author's note: **This will be completely AU (all time travel stories are), but it will be canon with events that happen in Deathly Hallows. Updates will be infrequent, I have to rewrite this! I originally wrote this to follow my version of year 7, but I decided to follow Deathly Hallows, so there are a lot of things that need to be tweaked ^_^

This story is set a month after the final battle (Chapter 36 in _Betrayal by Blood_) so needless to say, our heroes will have a lot of issues to work out, _hehehe_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Dumbledore's Last Surprise<strong>

Curiosity was the only feeling amongst the trio of travelers, trying to climb up through the rubble of the castle and to the headmaster's office. "I'm surprised they have got as much done as they have," Neville commented. "I mean, I know they are working around the clock, but still, a lot has already improved in just a month." He would never get the image out of his mind of the castle in ruins, the mayhem and destruction in a single night that had destroyed his home of the previous seven years.

"Magic can be good for something," Emma pointed out. "It destroyed Hogwarts and now it's rebuilding it."

"Surely it can't rebuild everything, I mean, they still have, like, stonecutters or whatever they are called that make the marble and statutes and stuff, right?" Harry asked, having never given much thought to construction in the magical world before now.

"Of course, somewhat, but why do you think we are called here?" Neville asked, getting to the question that was running through all three of their minds. Underneath it, Neville was asking _Why me?_

"We'll find out soon enough," Harry said as they reached the turret and the stairs leading to the headmaster's office. A makeshift guard was in place but he let them pass without question.

The three exchanged looks as Harry knocked on the door to the office. "Come in."

Harry pushed the door open and led the way in with Neville in the rear and Emma wondered if they thought they needed to flank her for protection or something. "Ah, Potter, Longbottom, O'Neill…it is good to see the three of you," McGonagall smiled. Unlike the previous seven years, it wasn't the matronly smile they usually were graced with but a genuine, I-can't-wait-to-see-your-faces smile.

"Hello Professor," Emma could feel the tingle of anticipation coming from her former head of house and how it was making her friends unconsciously more anxious.

"Are you the next Headmistress?" Harry asked.

"No, the school board is convening for such a decision, but that is not the reason I have asked you to come today. No, I fear it is something much more grand, and it is not my business for which I have summoned you."

If McGonagall was afraid she just gave away the secret she needn't have worried—the three of them had no clue what she was talking about.

"You know that the wizarding world owes the three of you—Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, and so many others—a debt of gratitude. As you know, Potter, Dumbledore always had faith in you, in what it was he asked of you."

"Did he tell you?" Harry asked quickly, looking to the portrait of Dumbledore but he was not in his frame.

"No," McGonagall shook her head. "But whatever it was, I know you accomplished it and we can never repay you for it. No, I asked you here because Dumbledore had something planned for you as his own way of thanking you. The three of you."

"But why me?" Neville asked. "Dumbledore never asked anything of me, nor did I help Harry as Emma did."

"You will get far in life, Longbottom, with such humility. Don't think Dumbledore didn't know what you were doing the entire school year. He saw something in you, Longbottom, when you were a first year and stood up to your friends. And you spent an entire year standing up to the enemies of this school and the wizarding people. And this gift is exceedingly fit for the three of you."

That peaked Emma's curiosity. The three of them had fought against Voldemort in various ways, had fought in the last battle, but there had to be something else that linked the three of them together.

"This will explain it all. Dumbledore wrote this, Snape must have ensured it remained hidden from the wrong eyes, and Dumbledore's portrait instructed me where to find it." McGonagall withdrew a parchment, rolled up and tied with a red ribbon. The tips were died in gold, giving the entire piece a very Gryffindor look.

"I just have to say, I didn't think such a thing was possible, but with Albus…well, you know Dumbledore plans things and has knowledge of these matters far beyond anyone else I have met."

With that, McGonagall gave them one last smile and left the three of them. "That's it?" Neville asked. "Go on, read it," he told Harry.

Harry slid the tie off and unrolled the parchment. "Harry, Emma, and Neville," he began.

Emma nudged Neville to keep him quiet; he still didn't understand why he should be included in any gift from Dumbledore.

"I fear I won't be there in person to explain the workings of this, but I trust Miss O'Neill is well acquainted with  
><span>the workings of this spell. I know I have placed a great burden on you, Harry,<span>  
><span>and I believe wholeheartedly you have come out the victor and a stronger man than I ever was.<span>

"Emma, I may never fully understand the choices you have made, but realize that  
><span>you have been truly lucky in this life with the gifts you have been given.<span>  
><span>I don't just refer to the burdens placed on you, what nature and your<span>  
><span>mother's choice gave you. But the choice you and Draco made, the<span>  
><span>foolish, outstanding choice the two of you made. The choice so few will<span>  
><span>ever get the opportunity to make which makes you much luckier than I.<span>

"With Harry gone, some feared that the school would fall to chaos and cow  
><span>to the dictatorial whims of the Carrows. Not even Snape could protect everyone<span>  
><span>and fight the Carrows, creating an even playing field, waiting for the<span>  
><span>time of Harry's victory. I knew, Neville, that you would rise to the challenge and be the<span>  
><span>beacon the school needed in its darkest hour. The forgotten one, the choice that wasn't,<span>  
><span>but I knew you had your parents spirit and that the students would have<span>  
><span>a leader to guide them in their darkest hour.<span>

"It is for all these reasons I wish to repay you with giving you the gift you  
><span>may never have: meeting your parents. I rather imagine you are all<span>  
><span>perplexed and befuddled with this. It is in no means the same manner<span>  
><span>Miss O'Neill means to save Cedric Diggory, although the means for achieving it will be vastly similar.<span>

"The spell will send the three of you back in time to your parents seventh year.  
><span>The spell acts as a time turner in loop—you will be sent back in time, living and experiencing the year. All that happens will be real to you. At the end of the year you will<span>  
><span>return to this time but you're parents and everyone in that year, everyone you encounter, will not<span>  
><span>have experience. The spell is self-contained and in such a way you experience<span>  
><span>the past without changing it. Everything—the people, the reactions, the feelings—will be<span>  
>real, the people, <em>your parents<em> will be the real people."

"How is that even possible?" Harry interrupted, looking at Emma.

"What do you know of this?" Neville asked, wondering what Dumbledore meant when he said Emma had experience with the spell. What did this spell have to do with Cedric?

Emma snatched the parchment and read the last paragraph with Dumbledore's instructions. "Standing before the desk, wands touching the parchment at the same time," she muttered. Emma walked up and used her wand to lift the rug on the floor.

There was the same pentagram and insignia she had drawn in The Den, back in her bedroom at Lupin's and Tonks' house. "This is amazing," Emma marveled, rereading the parchment.

"What is it?" Neville asked. He was too afraid to believe it could really happen, just to have his hopes dashed. To know his parents—to be able to talk to them and have a _real_ conversation, it was too good to be true. He never told anyone how much he wanted to have his parents really _see _him when they looked at him.

"What did you do to save Cedric? Something else besides deals?" Harry asked, concerned.

"No. I mean, I had to plan how to do it, how to save Cedric without changing the events between our fourth year and now. I wasn't even sure if I could save Cedric. So I…" she had never planned on telling Harry this, how she had thought of saving her mother and his parents, and then discarding the ideas. How could she justify that?

"Dumbledore left me a book on advance Theory. There was a spell that was similar to a time turner. It allows the castor to go back and see what happens if you change an event or make a different choice. A sort of 'what-if' spell. So I saw what would happen if I saved someone. Cedric…Cedric's death wasn't necessary to defeating Voldemort, but it was necessary for you to think he had died because it was a crucial part to your development. So I used it to see how I could save Cedric while making everyone believe Cedric had in fact died. I discovered I needed to be in two places at once. It took a lot of coordination."

"So how will this spell work?" Neville asked, each second passing making him more hopeful, more courageous that this could happen.

"We need to do it together," Emma said. She pointed to the floor. "We all need to be inside this, it acts as a boundary—everyone inside will be sent together to the same place and time."

"So you are saying we can actually do this?" Harry was even more hesitant than Neville to give into hope.

"I don't see why Dumbledore would tell us we could do it, and then not do it. You two just need to stand here together and touch the parchment at the same time so you don't get separated from each other."

"Us? Why aren't you coming?" Harry asked.

"Because my mother will be there," Emma shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. It was getting more difficult to keep her emotions in check, she had to consciously make sure she wasn't projecting onto people.

"Isn't that the point?" Neville asked. "You can meet your mother, just like Harry and I can meet our parents."

"I don't need to," Emma hedged, not sure how to explain to Neville.

"Em…" Harry pleaded. "I want you there, too. You deserve it just as much as us. I'll help in any way I can."

Emma shook her head, not sure how to explain she was terrified what it would be like to be with her mother, the mother that dominated so much of who she was. These memories were already in her head, what would it be like if she was there while her mother was living them?

What if she mentally snapped and her mother took over?

Harry gripped her shoulders. "I know. I know, I can only imagine what you're afraid off. Trust me, Em. I wouldn't do anything, let anything happen to you."

"You look just like James," Emma pointed out.

"Then I'll magick my hair and become a Weasley again," Harry grinned.

"Please Emma?" Neville asked. "It won't be the same if you aren't there. We'll be back before anyone even knows we've gone it sounds like."

Emma looked between the two of them. She wanted so desperately to go, but it seemed like it was doomed to end badly.

Taking a deep breath, Emma nodded. She stepped into the diagram with Harry and Neville.

"I am very happy you are all going together," Dumbledore's voice startled them and they turned to see him back in his frame. "Ah, I was watching the rebuilding of the herbology building 3. I have a particular fondness for the gardens in 3 and I am pleased to report Sprout will be back to tending it very soon," he announced, bemused.

"You knew we were here," Harry pointed out.

"Yes, but this decision had to be entirely on your own. I did not wish for my presence or McGonagall's to sway your decision."

"How do you even know they are working on greenhouse 3?" Emma wondered.

"Really, that's what you are asking?" Neville wondered.

"There aren't any portraits there," Emma pointed out.

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes dancing behind his half-moon frames. "No, but there is a portrait that looks through a window that overlooks the greenhouse. And there is no longer a stain glass window to hinder my view."

"How do we explain all this?" Harry asked.

"I trust you have years of experience fabricating tales, Mr. Potter. I trust between the three of you, your imaginations will be able to come up with something sufficient."

The door opened to reveal McGonagall. "I believe you have one last passenger," she announced, Pippin darting straight for Emma and rubbing against her leg, purring.

Emma scooped him up, thankful more than she could express (verbally or emotionally). Suddenly it didn't seem as daunting if she had at least Pippin with her. She had handled the drama of the school for years with him, she could handle one more.

Emma held Pippin tight with one arm as they made a triangle around the parchment. Harry held the parchment and on a count of three, they tapped their wands to the paper.

The sensation was familiar to Emma—a yanking at the navel as she flew backwards, cool, moist air beating against her as she fell through some sort of wind vortex. Then things changed from the hundreds of time she had cast the spell before: she seemed to fall for a long time through the cyclone and the moisture in the air grew thicker. The moisture began to liquefy and paste to her skin and she had an image from the telly of green goo being dumped on unsuspecting people.

Suddenly, it felt as if she had fallen into a vat of fat only to pass through with a loud _slurp_ sound and hit the marble floor.

All three of them took a moment to orient themselves. Emma looked up and saw the high arc ceiling above her. Pippin, who had been clawed to her, promptly detached himself and stretched. She had no doubt she had claw marks on her stomach.

"Everyone alright?" Harry asked.

"By alright you mean bruised and suffering from wind burn, then yup, I'm alright," Neville pulled himself to his feet. That's when he got a good look at himself. "Blimey!"

Emma looked at him and didn't realize what she was looking at at first. "Well, that's new," Emma drawled. She looked down and saw that, like Neville, she and Harry had changed.

"Why would Dumbledore have us change into these?" Harry wondered.

The three dusted themselves off as they saw they were wearing travelling cloaks that had the ministry insignia bestowed to them at the awards ceremony. The coat of arms that signified they were Order of Mage, first Class.

"You know, just once I wanted to have a normal school year," Harry sighed.

"And you thought it would be the one you had to _travel back in time_ to go to?" Emma smirked.

"It was promising, up until now," Harry smiled.

The three of them stared at the closed double doors leading to the Great Hall. "When do you think we arrived?" Neville asked, butterflies dueling in his stomach.

Harry pressed his ear to the door. "I think that's the sorting hat giving his speech. Although, he is talking about house unity which sounds vaguely familiar."

"He gave a few talks about that during our parents years, too. Vold…" she wasn't sure if you could say his name now, "Voldemort is beginning to come to power but the war hasn't gotten bad, yet."

"So we're at the beginning of the school year, Dumbledore seemed sure it would send us to our parents seventh years, so…" Adrenaline pumping, Harry raised his wand and flicked his wrist.

_ xxxpagebreakxxx xxxpagebreakxxxxx xxxpagebreakxxxx_

The doors burst open and the students all jumped, some to their feet, others trying to get a look without putting themselves potentially in danger.

Dumbledore, like all the other professors, had come to his feet but he merely watched the trio.

The students watched as two dark haired boys and one blonde girl walked calmly towards the head table. The students all muttered on just _who_ would have the audacity to burst into the school, and just who were they anyways? All the students took the train and Hogwarts never had guests, not like this.

"Who do you think they are?" Lily asked.

"Did you see their cloak?" Emily asked. "It had the mage insignia."

"There hasn't been a mage for decades, maybe centuries," Lupin added.

"How do you even know what a Mage insignia looks like?" Sirius asked.

"My mum's uncle's grandfather was awarded Mage," Emily said proudly. It was the non-Potter side of her family, one of the few bragging rights that she didn't share with James.

The three strangers walked down the middle of the Great Hall towards the head table. Dumbledore had stood up when the doors burst open.

"Doesn't that one remind you of someone" James asked.

"Which one? The one that looks as if he could be your brother?" Sirius said.

"Yeah, he is kinda cute," Lily said.

"Hey!" James said. It wasn't a good sign that now, when Lily was starting to pay attention to him as a person and NOT yell at him every other minute, she was finding other boys attractive. At least, not good for James Potter. "Wait a minute, he looks like me," he pointed out.

Lily gave him a look that clearly said 'duh.'

By now Harry, Neville, and Emma were half way up to the teacher table and were at the middle of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. They couldn't help but notice that that was where the marauders, Lily, Emily, Alice and Frank were also sitting.

They walked past, Neville and Harry not looking at their parents, but Emma felt a presence and made eye contact with a dark haired girl who was sitting at the Slytherin table. This girl– who Emma didn't recognize from her mother's memories– felt the same feeling and also looked up and made eye contact.

Immediately they glared at each other as Emma walked past and Emma couldn't help but think that if this was a muggle vampire movie they would be snarling and hissing their fangs at each other.

As they approached the head table, Dumbledore, who was standing but had not spoken yet, finally said, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

They finally reached the head table, which seemed like a _really_ long walk to the three of them with every pair of eyes on them. Neville and Emma were not use to being in the spotlight, and Harry, who was, still didn't like it.

When they approached the table, it was Harry who spoke. "We would like to speak with you, Headmaster Dumbledore." He purposely made eye contact, and whatever it was that Dumbledore had seen, must have made think they weren't evil death eaters.

"Follow me, then." This seemed to shock even the staff who thought he would at least question them a little more to get more information before granting them an audience.

As soon as Dumbledore and the three strangers were out of the hall, it busted into a buzz of noise. Everyone was talking and eating at once, only now instead of catching up on how everyone's summer had been, everyone was talking about the three strangers.

"I wonder who they are, I have never seen them before," Peter Pettigrew said.

"Thanks for stating the obvious wormtail," Sirius said with a roll of his eyes.

"Dumbledore seemed to trust them, that is a good sign, right?" Alice asked.

"Of course it is," Frank said reassuringly.

"Yeah, he wouldn't see them if he didn't think they were okay," Lupin added

"What was that all about, though, with Diane? I mean, the Slytherin slut and that girl just gave each other the evil eye," Sirius wondered.

"It was all very strange, how they saw each other and picked each other out of a crowd, right?" James nodded.

As the trio followed Dumbledore out the back of the hall and towards the Headmaster's office, they shared a look. "Maybe it was a bit dramatic, our entrance," Emma whispered.

"You think?" Harry said. He had been thinking about Moody's entrance and at the time it just felt right.

"It was interesting. It got their attention" Neville said.

"What was that all about? With that girl?" Harry asked. Neville was also curious.

"I'll explain later," Emma said as they reached the familiar statue that lead to Dumbledore's office. They quickly filed into his office, taking seats around his desk.

"Now, perhaps you should explain to me who you are, and what you are doing here." Dumbledore said as he sat down.


	2. Meet the O'Neills

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, nor am I associated with her publishers. I make no profit from this writing. All OCs and plot belong to me.

_Author's note: Just a reminder that this story takes place a month after the Battle of Hogwarts, so everything is still very raw and unsettled for Harry, Emma, Neville (and the others...who will make an appearance soon. Promise!)_

**Chapter 2: Meet the O'Neills**

"Um…well…" Harry began wondering what Dumbledore—_his _Dumbledore in the future—expected him to tell this Dumbledore. What would be believable? What could he actually keep from the occlumency he knew Dumbledore was using? Even if he didn't speak and he let Emma speak, it wouldn't stop Dumbledore from using his occlumancy on both he and Neville. Neville didn't even know about it (not that Harry was sure Neville would be able to use Leglimancy…).

Realizing his thoughts were getting away from him, Harry finally said, "I'm afraid I don't have an elaborate story for you, sir. My imagination is not as grand as others have claimed. I honestly don't know how to explain it," Harry tried to explain.

Neville just sat quietly and couldn't help thinking that even now, at 18, he was somehow going to get a detention. How could you get a detention for something you hadn't done yet? When you technically hadn't been born, let alone admitted to the school? Although, technically, he passed his NEWTS and had graduated... _Merlin, my head hurts_, Neville sighed.

"My name is Harry Potter, this is Neville Longbottom, and this is Emma O'Neill." Dumbledore looked Harry in the eyes; Harry and Emma knew he was using his leglimency skills and could tell Harry was not lying.

"Well, Mr. Potter, can I assume that you all are related to the Potters, Longbottom, and the now graduated O'Neill of this school?" Dumbledore asked. Emma could tell that he found this all intriguing, which she took as a good sign.

"Yes sir." Neville spoke up. "They are our parents. Frank Longbottom is my father, and Alice Fairchild is my mother." And then he realized what he said and wasn't sure if he was allowed to say that. In fact, he wasn't sure what any of them were allowed to say and to whom.

"Well, while I can say that it is not surprising they get married and have children, I must ask, then, _when_ are you from?" Dumbledore said, peering over his half moon glasses.

"We have come from 20 years in the future." Harry said, realizing how lame that sounded.

Emma thought it sounded a bit like a muggle movie where an alien says 'we come in peace'. She thought Luna might try to make the Star Trek sign with her fingers if she were here.

"I see," Dumbledore said, and crossed his fingers as he leaned forward. "And how is it you arrived here? Time Travel is a very complex magic and I doubt someone as young as yourselves could have managed it."

Apparently, their Order of Mage cloaks were unimpressive. Well, Dumbledore was a Mage himself. "Sir, you of all people should know that age is no indication of talent," Emma spoke up softly, speaking up for the first time. Dumbledore made eye contact with her, but was shocked that he couldn't get anything from her; he leaned slightly back, the only indication of his surprise.

"Yes, Miss O'Neill, that is true."

Harry interrupted. "This is how we got here. You were the ones who sent us." Harry said and handed him the parchment. Dumbledore read it, and Emma could tell he was very intrigued.

"Yes, I dare say this is very interesting. And I gave you no further instructions?"

"No, sir. Only that it was our choice and he, I mean, you, were pleased we decided to come," Harry corrected. Tenses were proving to be difficult.

Emma imagined the episode of Doctor Who were the TARDIS became a woman. Was, Is, and Will Be was certainly getting complicated for them.

"Well," Dumbledore pondered. He lightly traced his wand along the bottom of the parchment. If he saw anything, he kept it to himself. "Well, this is indeed a most interesting start to the year. I was looking forward to seeing how the Marauders would spend their final year with us, and I believe this will make the year all the more interesting," Dumbledore smiled.

"So we can stay?" Neville asked.

"It would be cruel of me to send you back to meet your parents, and then to deny you the opportunity, Mr. Longbottom," Dumbledore's eyes danced in merriment as the trio smiled. "Have no fear, you are more than welcomed to stay here for as long as the spell lasts. Alas, I fear I will regret not having any memory of this year when the spell wears off. Or, I would regret such a loss if I knew I had lost it."

"So you really won't remember it?" Harry asked.

"I had no memory of this event when I sent you, I'm sure," Dumbledore studied the trio. "Well, would you like to be placed in your old houses?"

Harry, Emma, and Neville shared a look. They hadn't put any thought into it. They hadn't had time to think about anything since they arrived at Hogwarts and this was thrust upon them. "It may be the most normal thing for us. We were all in Gryffindor," Harry spoke for them.

"What should we tell everyone sir? We were not told what the spell would do or what we should do once we were here," Harry asked.

"I didn't instruct you further when I sent you?" Dumbledore asked, trying to wheedle information out of them.

They didn't want to tell him he was dead, so Emma spoke up and said, "I highly doubt we should risk revealing any details about the future, just in case."

"I see. Well, suffice it to say, I have figured out how this spell worked. I believe you can tell the other students whatever you feel comfortable with. As the letter explains, this loop will keep anyone from this time remembering anything from here."

"What about our names?" Harry asked.

"Hmm, yes, 3 Potters would be confusing, especially since you will all be in the same grade and same house. Can you imagine attendance?" Dumbledore said with a smile. "What would you suggest?"

They looked at each other. "I never even thought of changing my name." Neville said.

"Nor I," Emma said.

"Well, it is not as crucial as you are thinking," Dumbledore said.

"I think I will use your last name, Emma. I mean, your father is not here at school, and we can just say we are cousins on the O'Neill side or brother and sister? I feel like you are my sister anyways," Harry grinned, almost hopeful for a moment at the idea of being brother and sister.

"That is fine with me."

Neville clearly didn't know what to say. "Neville, do you want to be an O'Neill, too?" Emma offered. "You can be a cousin. Heaven knows there are plenty of other O'Neills running around."

"Really? You don't mind?"

"We are already fourth cousins or something," Emma pointed out. Harry wasn't that surprised after seeing the family tree in Grimmauld Place.

"Then welcome to Miss and Mr.s O'Neill," Dumbledore stood and gestured for them to follow him back down to the hall. As they made their way back to the Great Hall, they took off their traveling cloaks.

"Um, sir, we may have need of sending out for clothing," Emma realized.

"We have a few spare robes that can suit you until you find some other clothing," Dumbledore assured them.

Emma fingered the insignia of the Mage on the cloak that she had draped over her arm. It was one of the few things here that was solely Emma's and not her mother's. A part of her wanted to keep wearing it as a reminder she was her own person, but it would constantly draw attention.

"Hey, I'm here," Harry squeezed her hand. "And I have my bag which has enough gold to get all three of us wardrobes."

"I'll pay you back when we get back to our time," Neville promised.

"No worries, okay?" Harry studied Emma. "You alright?"

Emma nodded as they were about to enter the Hall. Dumbledore studied the three of them, and when he saw their resolve he opened the door and motioned for them to follow.

The noise died immediately as everyone was curious who the trio was. "I'm afraid I have one last announcement that must be made this evening. I am pleased to announce we will be joined by three guest students, Mr. Mr. and Miss O'Neill who will be staying in Gryffindor House. I am sure our Head Boy and Head Girl and prefects will be happy to show them around and that we will all make them feel welcomed."

Dumbledore took his seat but the trio wasn't sure where they should go. Just take a corner at the end of Gryffindor table?

The problem was solved for them when James and Lily, wearing the Head badges, came up to them. "Hello," Lily smiled happily and Emma felt Harry stiffen beside her as his parents stood before them. "Welcome to Gryffindor. I'm Lily Evans, head girl. This is James Potter, the head boy. Do you want to sit with us?" Lily asked.

Harry nodded, unable to form words. Emma wasn't sure if he was breathing, and Neville was suddenly as pale as Nearly Headless Nick. "That'd be lovely, thanks," Emma smiled.

Lily pointed to their group of friends. "Emily Potter, a prefect, Remus Lupin, the other prefect," Lily introduced. "Then you have Alice Fairchild, Frank Longbottom, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew."

"I can introduce my own friends, Lily," James pointed out.

"With those ridiculous names that don't make sense. I'm trying not to confuse the new guys, or make them think we are all abnormal," Lily pointed out, taking her seat.

"I'm Emma, this is Harry, and this is Neville," Emma introduced since the two guys were dumbstruck. Looking around, Emma took an open seat next to Sirius. She could easily understand their shock at seeing their parents, especially since their parents were their own age.

For Emma, who had memories of her mother at this age, it was surreal to be able to shake hands with her, a spark of surprised delight tingled her hand with that momentary physical touch when they shook hands.

But what she was most surprised by was seeing Lupin. Her dear, dear Romulous; this was when he was so full of life, before the years of heartbreak and destitution took their toll on him. He was vibrant and so full of life, laughing with his friends. It wasn't until the last year of his life, with Tonks, that he was like that again.

A part of her wanted to hug him and tell him to stay like this always.

Harry and Neville found seats next to Emma and Peter.

Unable to hold it in anymore, Sirius blurted out, "are you related to James?"

Lupin rolled his eyes while Emily chided, "honestly, Siri, they haven't even sat down yet."

"Alright, an easy question then. Where are you from?" Sirius asked.

"Not far, actually," Emma hedged, thinking the 'easy' question was quite ridiculously hard.

"Why come to Hogwarts for your last year, then?" Emily wondered.

"Our headmistress sent us, it was the last wish of our late headmaster," Harry said deciding it was just easier to refer to McGonagall as the headmistress. This made the group curious.

"I didn't think there were any other schools in the UK," Alice wondered.

"Um..." Harry stumbled on that one. They would have to result to a bald face lie. "We were homeschooled. The woman we call headmistress is in charge of all the exams the homeschooled students have to do."

"Alright," Peter said as he practically stuffed the drumstick down his throat.

"What was she like?" Frank asked.

"She was a lot like McG— " Neville was cut short as Emma kicked him under the table.

"That woman up there?" Emma pointed to McGonagall at the table. "She actually reminds me of the woman, only our professor is about twenty years older," Emma jumped in.

"Who is the Defense teacher?" Harry asked, actually looking forward to defense classes.

"Some new bloke," Sirius gestured up at the table. "We haven't had the same teacher for the last five years. No idea what this bloke will be like."

"Huh, we had the same problem," Harry started.

"With homeschooling?" Alice asked.

"Tutors," Emma threw out. "We went through a lot of tutors."

"Are you two going out?" Harry asked as Lily and James continued to argue and tease each other. This made Neville and Emma kick Harry.

James sighed dramatically. "I wish. She has rejected me . . ."

"890 times" Sirius finished.

"Actually, I thought it was 893 times now," Lupin said.

"What? We aren't at an even 1000 yet?" Peter asked.

"No we are at 899," Emily said.

"Uh-hem. We are actually at 902" Lily corrected. James just blushed the entire time.

"What!" the marauders all said.

"Yes, he has asked me out at least 11 times during our summer vacations, and already once tonight," Lily said, but Emma noticed she didn't seem upset over this. Or angry, or nauseated– all good signs on James behalf.

"Prongsie! What happened to 'maturing this year for the greater good'?" Lupin wondered.

"James, mature? That would be a sight," Frank said.

"Thanks for the support you guys," James said.

Harry quickly turned the conversation (not that he wasn't enjoying it).

When they had all finished dinner, they went to the common room. Emma went up with her new dorm mates and found a trunk had been brought up with everyone else's and that a new bed had already been added to the room. Emma opened the trunk to find a few black school robes. She dug out her bag from her pocket. She had never removed the extension charm she had placed and she still had a few things inside it. She had taken out the food long ago when she first arrived at The Den after leaving Malfoy Manor, but she never took the time to unpack all of her things.

She placed the bag inside the trunk and was reaching inside the bag, out of the view of the others, when she heard the girls talking to her.

"You are going to like Hogwarts, Emma. And we can always use another girl in the bunch," Emily said as she dug through her trunk to find her nightclothes.

"Thanks. I know we will all like it here," Emma said, fishing around seeing what she could find. It would be easier to just upend the whole thing but that would cause too much noise and lead to more awkward questions. She pulled out a few blouses, a pair of jeans, some underwear, and finally found an old t-shirt and bloomers.

She would at least have something to wear as pajamas.

After Emma had everything situated, and the other girls were still decorating and gabbing, she went down to the common room. A few minutes later Harry and Neville came down too.

"This is just mad," Neville grinned as he and Harry sat with Emma before the fire. "I'm afraid I'm going to wake up and find it was just a dream."

"I'm afraid I'm going to wake up and find out our victory was a dream," Harry admitted.

"Sometimes I wish it was so we could go back and redo it," Emma admitted. Seeing Lupin had been harder than seeing her mother.

"I know," Harry said, draping her arm around Emma's shoulders in a tight hug.

"I feel like I am missing something," Neville said, studying them. "I mean, I get that you were nervous about coming, Emma. I get that, I think we all were, but… does it have something to do with what happened in the Great Hall?" he asked.

Emma knew he meant during the battle. That awful moment the world stopped spinning when she found Lupin and Tonks as cold as marble.

"Yes," Emma sighed.

"I understand if you don't want to tell me. Just don't be afraid to ask me for help too, Em."

Emma studied Neville, seeing the concern on his face. Even if he didn't understand, he was still trying to help her. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "How could you think I don't trust you to tell you?"

Neville's eyes opened in surprise. "So you are," he marveled. "I thought…after what happened, I thought how it was just so awful to be feeling like that, then I realized it wasn't what I was feeling…" he tried to explain. "Your father forbade anyone from talking about it. I think he placed some sort of spell that no one could speak of it because I thought of talking to Luna about it, but I seem to forget whenever I am with her and want to bring it up."

"Yup, that sounds like me da, using whatever means necessary to protect me," Emma rolled her eyes. She wasn't surprised, and she wasn't upset since she had worked so hard to protect herself and not let anyone know she was an empath. It was reassuring to know that her father was protecting her against the one moment that exposed her.

"So it's difficult for you because you are an empath?" Neville asked.

"Not quite," Emma hedged. "I mean, I am still reeling from all the devastation of the battle and everything." Taking a breath, making sure there was no one eavesdropping, Emma explained to Neville the weird, complex, craziness that was her mind.

Neville's facial expressions were amazing to watch—disbelief, shock, fear for his friend. "I'm sorry if I pressured you to come and you really didn't want to," Neville apologized.

"I wanted to desperately," Emma assured both Neville and Harry. "We are in this together, we will all be fine," Emma decided.

"At least I don't have to worry about Voldemort invading my mind, right?" Harry grinned.

"I hope not," Emma nodded. Harry had killed off the part of Voldemort's soul that was inside him, and they were in the time before Voldemort made Harry a horcruxe so it should all be safe.

She hoped.

"It will be nice not to be the boy-who-lived, eh?" Neville teased.

"Hey, to be fair, you were the almost-chosen-one," Harry told him. That certainly surprised Neville.

"You might as well tell him now," Emma shrugged. "This fight with Voldemort was much more intense than you can imagine." She stretched out before the fire as she watched the two boys talked. It was nice to see Harry and Neville; in a way, listening to Harry tell Neville about the prophecy and Horcruxes was surreal. Two friends whose fates were determined by someone else's choice. Watching them they had a lot more in common than they probably realized. Neville had matured into a confident leader.

"Night Emma. Did you get robes, too?" Neville asked.

"Yeah, and I found I had some clothes and some money in me bag," Emma said happily as she scratched Pippin behind the ears.

"Lucky, I only have the money I had in me pockets," Neville grinned. "I can't exactly owl Gringotts for a withdrawal, either." Neville had a decent size inheritance even before the comfortable reward he received with the Order of Mage.

They all said goodnight before heading off to their dormitories.

_ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

As the girls changed, they noticed Emma's bed curtains were still drawn. "Did you notice she got in late?" Lily asked.

Emily nodded, curious. "Should we check on her?" Emily wondered.

"I wonder why she looks so much like you, too," Alice wondered. Everyone last night marveled at the similarities between James and Harry, but the similarities between Emily and Emma were very strong.

Emily didn't want to think about it, certainly not on an empty stomach the first day back at school. She wanted to talk to James, alone, without all their crazy friends; they all meant well, but she was barely keeping it together with the death of her parents at the end of the last school year. James had always been her best friend and had become her rock. She didn't know how she managed to get through the last three months without him.

So contemplating who this new girl was provided at least something to take her mind off her loss, but she didn't want to right now. At least it gave her well intention friends something to occupy themselves with besides asking if she was "alright" every five minutes. Emily walked up and pulled the curtain back. Emma was still sleeping, her blonde hair fanned out behind her. Last night she had been quiet and soft spoken, and now she seemed very fragile.

"Emma," Emily called out, hoping it would be enough to wake her.

Emily jumped back, practically knocking Alice and Lily over who had crowded up behind her and also jumped. At the sound of her name Emma shot up, wand at the ready, searching for something.

Pippin purred as he climbed up on Emma's bed, curling up on her lap, soothing. Emma lowered her wand, the other hand rubbing Pippin's ginger fur. "Sorry," Emma apologized quickly, not meeting any of their eyes.

Emily watched as the blonde took several deep breaths. "We just didn't want you to be late and miss breakfast," Alice said easily. "It isn't pleasant when a stranger wakes you up, sorry about that."

"It's not that, I'm just use to someone yelling my name if we are under atta…" Emma cut off immediately, but the girls were smart enough to finish the sentence. _If we are under attack_.

"Why would you be attacked?" Lily asked.

Emma pulled the curtains on the other side of the bed and climbed out opposite the girls. She pulled out the blouse and pants she found in her bag and went into the bathroom to change, hoping the others would leave. Hopefully their stomachs would demand food more than their curiosity would demand answers.

She felt their presence disappear and she knew they left the bedroom. Splashing cold water on her face helped. It was just so bizarre to wake up to find her mother standing over her—the same mother that was in her head. They were the same age, Emma was older by less than a year at this point.

And she had no connection to Draco. It was so weird after spending so much time tied together mentally to _not _feel his presence. She couldn't talk to him about all this, couldn't use that connection as a discernable difference between herself and her mother.

Emma took a deep breath before braving the common room. Everyone was in the common room chatting about what they expected their new timetables to be like. "Eh, you alright?" Harry asked seeing her.

"Jumpy but good. You?" she asked as Harry and Neville. By this time the three of them had already walked out the portrait hole and were heading to the Great Hall, just as they had always done over the last seven years, and had completely forgotten about the others.

"It was awesome," Neville grinned brightly. They had talked for awhile with the other guys about sports, girls, classes. If they went back now it would all have been worth it, having that one conversation with Frank about normal, teenage things. A conversation like he would have had with one of his own mates back home.

Emma could tell Harry felt the same way. "You?" Harry asked.

"Great until they decided to wake me up and I pulled me wand on them," Emma whispered. She had no doubt the girls would tell the rest of their friends but she wasn't going to announce it to everyone.

"Habits die hard," Harry consoled her.

Sirius, needing his daily nourishment, headed after them when he realized they were getting food. The others followed too. The marauders watched the three new students. "They seem to remember the way very well on their own," Lupin remarked.

"So you noticed too, Moony," James nodded.

"That with how Emma acted. When or why would they have been attacked?" Lily wondered. "Do you think that's why Dumbledore has them here now? For their own protection?"

"It is all a bit suspicious," Sirius had to admit his curiosity was peaked as he studied the trio leading the way to the Great Hall. "I, for one, wouldn't mind investigating a little more."

"Protection? Suspicious?" Peter asked.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Sirius," Emily frowned at him, knowing exactly _who_ he wanted to 'investigate'.

"Eh," Sirius pouted.

Breakfast was already set out by the time the students arrived and the group began piling food on their plates. "I forgot how much I missed having food at your fingertips," Harry laughed.

"Where do you put it all?" Emma wondered, looking at the plates piled high. All the guys had enough food to feed an army.

"Making up for lost time," Harry decided.

"You would think you starved under my care. Can you imagine how much worse it would be if I hadn't been prepared?" Emma stuck her fork out for emphasis. "Lifting food at the store and dropping cash in the till, feeding off wild mushrooms. _I _fed the lot of you."

"Even in the room, we couldn't get food. It was hard to knick enough to feed all of us. Certainly not like this," Neville added. "Pumpkin muffins, Merlin."

McGonagall came up to the group at that point, distributing timetables. The Marauders immediately began comparing classes. "Professor Dumbledore has assured me that the three of you are qualified to take whatever classes you like," she added. Her bewilderment was clear to them.

"Uh,…" the three shared a look. They hadn't even had time to think about their exams back in their own time. "Well, Herbology for sure," Neville grinned. "Defense, Charms, and transfiguration please."

"Defense, Potions, transfiguration, charms, and herbology," Harry decided. "You should take potions, Nev. It's, uh… that guy, up there," Harry nodded towards the teacher table, not sure how to say 'it's not Snape!' without totally blowing their cover.

"Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, potions, herbology, and theory," Emma said. McGonagall raised an eyebrow but tapped her wand to the parchment and handed it over. At the last moment Neville decided to give potions a go since Harry and Emma were both in it. "Slughorn was a good sort last year," Neville whispered.

Lily and Emily were comparing schedules with Alice as they watched the trio get their schedules. "Did she say theory?" Lily repeated, surprised.

"If you were new, wouldn't you be a bit curious who your teachers were? What they were like?" Sirius leaned closer to Emily trying to be quiet so the trio couldn't hear them.

"So we can add that to our list," Lupin decided.

"We have a list?" Peter asked.

Never one to beat around the bush, Sirius slipped closer to Emma. "What are you talking about over here?"

"Wondering about the Defense teacher since we have that first," Harry said, suspicious of Sirius. He remembered his godfather's reputation with girls.

"Yeah, we were talking about that, too. I don't know if you know, but the defense position is a little messed up here. Ever since our second year."

"Really? We never had the same professor for more than a year," Neville said. "Revolving tutors," he quickly threw out, remembering their fake history at the last moment.

"Really? It has been like that the past 5 years," Frank said.

"So what subjects are you into? I noticed you were taking classes to become an auror," James said.

"Yeah, we are, although it isn't really necessary, at least for Harry." Neville said.

"Or Neville," Emma added quickly.

"Yeah, how did you guys become mages? Are you really mages?" Peter asked wide eyed.

"Yes, but it is a long story." Emma said.

"My favorite subject would have to be Defense, even if it was messed up at our school. I detest potions," Harry said to change the subject. "Our professor was horrid."

Neville shuddered. "Hate potions. I love herbology."

"He has a real knack for it," Emma added.

"What about you, Emma?" Sirius asked.

"Emma is good in all subjects, and bored in all subjects," Harry teased.

"Ha ha."

"Sounds like James and Emily," Sirius said.

"It runs in the family," Emma said. Just then it was time to leave for their first class which was the mysterious defense class. The entire way there Sirius walked with Emma and flirted.

"Emma better be careful, Sirius is a heartbreaker," Alice warned.

"Believe me when I say Emma is not interested in the slightest," Harry said.

"She has a very over-protective boyfriend back home," Neville added.

"Really? Hmm, maybe we shouldn't tell Sirius yet," Lily said.

"What are you hinting at?" James asked, slightly frightened and worried for his best friend.

"It will be good for Sirius to be rejected for once. Look at what 902 did for you. You are finally acting a little more mature." Lily said which made James blush.

"Plus, it would be hilarious" Frank said.

"We have class with the Slytherins. They are an evil lot, so watch out for them," Sirius warned.

Just then they arrived at the classroom. "Actually, not all Sytherins will be evil," Neville said, which made Emma give him a big grin. It was the first time she ever heard Neville stand up for Draco, and it meant a lot to her. Emma walked in with Harry and Neville and they were the last 3 to enter. The Marauders couldn't help but notice that as they walked past the Professor towards some seats, Emma seemed to look really hard at the professor as if trying to see through him. Whatever she saw caused her to shoot Neville and Harry a look.

Not a very encouraging look, either. A look of disbelief, disgust, and apprehension. Whatever it was caused the trio to sit in the back of the class, wands within easy reach.

* * *

><p><em>A HUGE thank you to everyone who read and reviewed! And a HUGE apology it took so long to post. I gave up on my beta getting back to me, so this is unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. To answer a question in a review: yes, we will see the others soon (next chapter), this is not just Harry, Emma, and Neville. I wanted to give this trio, though, a heads start on meeting their parents, though. And Draco and Emma can't...whoops! Spoiler! <em>


	3. A Fortnight

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, nor am I associated with her publishers. I make no profit from this writing. All OCs and plot belong to me.

_reminder: this story is placed a month after the final battle in Deathly Hallows_

**Chapter 3: a Fortnight**

A pattern was established: they all—time travelers and parental group— met in the common room to go to breakfast and since they had most of their classes together they walked to them too. Emma, Neville, and Harry, to their relief, got along well with their parents and the marauders, hanging out between classes and after supper. Lupin and Emily noticed Emma would occasionally disappear in the afternoons, but Neville and Harry wouldn't tell anyone why or where she went.

Emma also put up with Sirius' flirting. "It's because you are new and he hasn't worked his charm on you yet," Emily told her while they walked down from the dorms to meet with others to go to breakfast.

"Not to mention the fact you are pretty," Lily added. "Sirius is a sucker for a pretty face."

"Is it true you have an over-protective boyfriend back home?" Emily asked. Emma nodded. "What's he like?"

"Well, he is the everyone-thinks-I'm-a-bad-guy-but-I'm-really-multi-faceted-if-you-take-the-time-to-look," Emma said.

"Oh, everyone likes a bad boy," Lily said.

"Especially when the bad boy isn't really bad. Is he cute?" Emily asked.

"Dreamy," Emma said happily as they reached the common room to find the Marauders, Frank, Alice, Neville, and Harry.

"So how are you related, again?" James asked the trio curiously. The marauders couldn't rest until they pieced together this newest puzzle.

"Cousins," the three said quickly.

"All of you?" Lily wondered. The trio nodded. "So you and you," she pointed to Harry and Neville, "are cousins? And you and you are cousins to each other," she pointed to Harry and Emma, "and you and you are also cousins?" she pointed between Emma and Neville. It was like a triangle, she decided.

"Pure blood families are like that. Sirius and us are related distantly," Emily gestured between Sirius, James, and herself. Emily and James were first cousins, their dads were brothers; and the Potter and Black families were related somehow, making them fourth cousins.

"But you are all in the same family?" Peter asked, scrunching his nose up.

"Cousins," Harry and Neville said again.

Trying to take the focus off the trio, Emma decided to show some faux curiosity about the others. "You and James are also cousins, right? The Potters are related to the Blacks?" She walked out of the portrait first with Sirius nipping at her heels.

"Well, they disowned me, but yeah, the Blacks are like most pureblood families—intermarried so much we are all one big pool at this point," Sirius grinned, leaning closer to Emma.

"In that case, we are also probably distantly related," Emma shifted slightly so it wouldn't encourage Sirius. He seemed to take it as a challenge. Instead, she focused on Lily, who was uncomfortable with all the talk of purebloodness and family ties. She caught Lily sneaking a quick, sad glance towards the Slytherin table when they walked into the Great Hall where Snape was sitting with Nott.

"You're family must be real proud of you, Lily," Emma spoke softly. "It always comes as a surprise to muggles to discover magic is real."

"It was a shock," Lily nodded with a small smile.

"You wouldn't know she was muggle born, she's brilliant at practically everything," James praised, making Lily stare at him as if trying to figure out if he was sincere.

"We have a friend like that. Muggle born but there isn't a spell she can't do," Neville smiled, thinking of Hermione.

"Except the Patronus," Emma interjected making Harry laugh.

Several choked on their pumpkin juice. "Patronus? That's bloody difficult, though. Especially a fully corporeal one," Lupin said amazed. "You know someone—a student— who can?"

"I know a dozen of them," Harry shrugged, but Neville was quick to point out Harry's accomplishments: "he taught a lot of us, Harry could do them since third year."

"Emma too," Harry quickly pointed out, not wanting to be in the spotlight alone. This was supposed to be the year he _wasn't_ in the spotlight.

Everyone stared at them in shock. "What do they look like?" Frank asked curiously.

"It isn't that difficult, not as difficult, say, as becoming an animagous," Harry hedged, looking at his father and godfather.

The marauders chuckled and brushed it off, clearly not thinking Harry had any clue what he was talking about. "Two different types of magic," Emily said, studying the trio. "Transfiguration versus defense. And you need a hell of a lot of concentration to pull off a patronus in the type of dire circumstances they're needed."

"So true," Emma sighed. She gathered up her books as she finished off the last of her pumpkin juice and stood.

"Wait, I'll walk with you," Lupin stood, getting his book bag. It made sense to him since he was also in theory with Emma.

"Okay," Emma nodded with a small smile. Emily studied the girl; it was as if Emma took a breath and started to build a wall around herself, her façade becoming more distant, more emotionally detached. She watched and wondered what it was that caused Emma to pull away like that. She did it occasionally, but most especially around Lupin.

_And me_ Emily realized.

She grabbed an apple and followed Lupin and Emma up the grand staircase to class since her classroom was on the way to Lupin's and Emma's. Emily decided to try to draw the girl into conversation and break through the invisible barrier it seemed no one else had noticed. How could no one else in the school notice?

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Jane climbed the hill up to the castle, vowing next time she would make a portkey that took her directly to the headmaster's office. _No, the scenery is lovely, enjoy it_ she told herself. A part of her would love to transfigure into her wolf and just run through the woods. Even just the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest would be amazing to run through.

Thinking of the forest, though, brought up the memory of the last time she had been in it. Diane had abused her on the forest's edge, and she had lost her sight inside thanks to Aoibheal. She couldn't shake the feeling, though, of what Diane had done.

So she continued on to the castle, thoughts of running through the forest forgotten. She had a plethora of forests in her own country, and countless more in other countries, to run through. She didn't need to run through and face _those_ memories.

Jane unknowingly followed the same path to the headmaster's office so many others had made already that day. She had only been to Dumbledore's office once before and it had been in immaculate (if slightly disorganized) order, not smashed and crumbling as it was now.

Pushing open the door, Jane was startled to see Draco arguing with the portrait of Dumbledore. "Just sending her off like that?" Draco asked.

"I have every faith that Miss O'Neill is perfectly fine. Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom, too, if you have any deep hidden concern for them as well," Dumbledore smiled.

"How do you even know?" Luna asked serenely, not doubting him but immensely curious.

"Ah, Ms. Johnson," McGonagall said from behind the large oak desk. "We are all here at last, then," she inclined her head to indicate Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood.

"Uh…what is going on?" Jane asked deciding not to beat around the bush. "And hello to everyone, but I have no idea why a portrait would summon me half-way around the world."

"Emma is gone." Simply stated, a terse glance at the portrait, and a deep fear of what that meant all came from Draco.

"Gone how?" Jane worried.

"It is like when she would go off on her spell or talk to the fae. She just isn't _here_. But it only ever lasted a minute at the most. It's been longer."

"So where did she go? I mean, you're here," Jane quickly rationalized, "so she has to be alright…"

"Ask him," Draco nodded towards Dumbledore.

"Harry and Neville are also gone," Ginny spoke up.

"What about Ron and Hermione?" Jane asked. "And what has that to do with me?"

"Ron and Hermione are both here and fine. Well, not _here_, they were with mum."

Asking again seemed pointless, so Jane just stared at Dumbledore, willing him to answer what the hell she was doing there.

"I believed you would benefit from a little vacation as well. The same reward Harry, Neville, and Emma are on now," Dumbledore said.

"Reward?" Ginny wondered. "But the ministry has already awarded Harry and the others."

"My own reward, or thank you, for Harry because of the extremely burdensome and dangerous task I bestowed upon him. And to Emma and Neville for the work they did in the war. This reward was appropriate for all three of them, a unique opportunity. But, alas, it seems some bonds are too strong to be … spread out. So I will present you with two choices. The first is the simplest: wait for Harry, Emma, and Neville to return. It will only be a few minutes."

"Just wait?" Ginny repeated.

"Wait for what?" Draco asked. "We have been waiting to learn what has happened, and you have evaded telling us even that much."

"Have you thought that perhaps even just these few moments apart would be good for both of you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Probably. It doesn't tell me where she is and if she is okay, though," Draco pointed out.

Dumbledore nodded, as if satisfied with Draco's acknowledging that a break from their bond was a good thing. "I have gifted the three with the opportunity to meet their parents."

Jane, Luna, Ginny, and Draco looked at Dumbledore as if the portrait had gone senile. Even Luna seemed to find the idea a bit fanciful. "You didn't bring them back as Emma did Cedric," Ginny rationalized. "They are dead. How then can that happen? Especially with the resurrection stone gone?"

Jane was beginning to find all this too intriguing to worry about why she was called.

"I used a complex spell to send the three back in time to when their parents were seventh years. It will return them to this time after the school year. They will have plenty of quality time to learn of their parents, and return only missing a few moments in this time. So you can wait comfortably for your friends to return."

"And option two?" Draco asked.

"If you highly insist on joining your friends, arrangements can be made."

Draco looked to McGonagall, decision already made even before Dumbledore had given the option. "This decision is for all of you, it should not be made lightly because although only a short time here will be lost, you will have to live the entire year in the past. It will be real to you even if not to the people of the past," Dumbledore cautioned, getting ready to withdraw himself from the portrait.

"Wait," Jane practically yelled, jumping forward. "Why would you summon me here?"

"Why should the sacrifices you made be worth any less than those of your friends?" Dumbledore asked her.

"Read this, then make your decision," McGonagall said handing Luna the scroll. With a look to Dumbledore she walked outside.

"Even as a bloody portrait he is still manipulating everyone," Draco frowned.

Luna unscrolled and read a shorter version of what Harry, Neville, and Emma had read. This letter only contained detailed instructions on how to travel with the warning that no one from the past would remember what happens, only the time travelers.

"Be sure to think about the reasons you are going before you take a trip such as this," Dumbledore's last words to the quartet.

Just as the four reached a consensus and were about to tap their wands to the parchment, the door burst open and Cedric was there frowning at Jane. Smirking, she tapped her wand with the others, disappearing right before him.

Her smirk quickly disappeared—or would have, but had literally frozen in place in some macabre twist— as she was pulled backwards. When their wands had once been practically touching each other on the parchment, they were now pulled what felt like miles apart even if you could see each other clearly. It was the strangest sensation as the wind whipped like knives and the moisture in the air condensed on her skin. Jane looked up to see Luna, who had been on her right, Ginny across from her, and Draco on her left, each on separate sides of a giant plane.

The scroll still felt like parchment in her hand but looked so out of proportion. She wanted to grasp someone's hand just to reassure herself they were indeed still right there even as they looked miles apart.

_I've fallen through the looking glass_ was all Jane could think.

After being dunked by ooze and feeling like she was part of the muggle game shows (Nickelodeon, was it? She wondered), she landed rather harshly on her backside.

"I think we're not in Kansas anymore," Jane coughed. "Although, if we are in Wonderland, I really want to meet the Mad Hatter."

"They should have painted dizible roses, they would change colors with the seasons," Luna provided dreamily. "And if you pollinate them using bettle bees they can develop spots resembling a cheetah."

Draco couldn't help but think he didn't need to be hearing about cheetah roses at the moment. Ginny seemed to share his thought as they quickly came to their feet.

As if the enormity of her decision finally hit her, Ginny paused for a moment. "No going back at this point, Weaslette," Draco drawled. He didn't think Ginny was the type for self-doubt, but some insults should get her to forget about them.

"I think it's about time for lunch," Luna decided as she walked towards the doors to the Great Hall. The clatter inside indicated a lot of students were already there eating the midday meal.

"Do we have anything too futuristic?" Jane asked, staring at her shoes.

"They won't remember it," Draco reminded her.

"And you want to risk it? What if some freak accident happens and the wrong person develops the next Cleansweep and the Firebolt never gets invented?" Jane questioned.

"Then Potter won't get the broom before me," Draco pointed out.

"He won't win the second task, then, and Cedric won't die, and who knows how that will change everything," Jane rationalized.

"Fine, we will find seventies era clothing as soon as we find Emma," Draco agreed. "Merlin help me."

The Great Hall was not filled to capacity, but enough students were there to ensure gossip would spread quickly. The largest group at the Gryffindor table was the Marauders, Frank, and Alice, Harry, Neville, and Emma.

Sirius seemed intent on getting Emma's attention but she sat up straight. A tickle of excitement akin to a shot of static electricity zapped Harry's and Neville's arms, who were sitting closest. They turned to see what was wrong, but saw Emma climbing out of her seat.

Everyone turned to see what had caught her attention at the door. For the others, it was a major curiosity since it was the most emotion Emma had shown since they had known her.

Emma met Draco halfway, wrapping her arms around his neck as his held her tightly. "Who the bloody hell is that?" Sirius wondered.

Harry and Neville both jumped at seeing the rather odd group. Harry took a step forward, then stopped not realizing what he should do upon seeing Ginny. They had confessed their feelings hadn't changed but he had no clue what their status was. Dating? Casual? He had already run up and kissed her in front of a crowd once.

Neville and Luna seemed slightly at odds, too. They had only just confessed their feelings for each other after the battle. But Neville used some of that new found courage and went up to hug her. "I can't believe you're here! Any of you!" he said happily.

"I don't think any of us believe it, either," Ginny said, looking between the two couples. She was beginning to think this was a bad idea coming. Harry probably would have preferred Ron and Hermione to come. Coming was a huge statement of her feelings (she wouldn't follow just _anyone _twenty years into the past, after all) and she wasn't afraid of taking chances. But with Harry just standing there gawking at her she was beginning to think this was a mistake.

"Hey, at least you came to _go _to someone. I came to get away from someone," Jane whispered to Ginny. Ginny did a double take, forgetting for a minute the yankee was also an empath.

Ginny decided not to point out Cedric was certainly the type to follow. Whether it was because he felt responsible for America's first daughter, or for other reasons, she didn't know.

"We…" Jane froze, her breathing stopped as she balled her hands into fists.

"Jane?" Ginny asked, reaching out, concerned.

Emma came up quickly, looking to what had distressed her friend. "She gives me the same…oh Morgana!" Emma realized, her own knees buckling.

"What?" Neville asked confused.

A short mental conversation later and Draco nodded. "We should talk to Dumbledore. He is probably curious who the rest of us are."

Linking her arm through Jane's, Emma led her out of the hall. "I can't do this. I don't even know why I am here," Jane shook her head.

"You were never one to run from anything."

"That was before her!" Jane gasped, hysterical.

Emma whispered to Jane as they walked up to the headmaster's office, a trek familiar to all of them at this point.

Dumbledore didn't seem surprised. "I have been most curious if my future self was settled upon just you three. I trust you understand the effects of the spell?"

"That the others from this time won't remember any of this, yes," Ginny nodded.

"Since it shouldn't disrupt the spell, should we introduce ourselves?" Jane wondered.

"I am most curious," Dumbledore admitted.

"Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, and Jane Johnson," Harry introduced the quartet. He couldn't help but think Dumbledore was expecting them.

"Well, I fear you are behind in your studies, unless you are all repeating the previous year?" Dumbledore asked.

"Behind?" Jane repeated.

"They have been here for a fortnight," Draco announced, a hint of annoyance belying his normal tone.

"We only left minutes after you," Luna wondered, amazed.

"The spell was set to transport people to a particular day and time. If you had followed immediately after, the four of you would have arrived at this particular moment still," Dumbledore calmly explained.

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Jane asked.

"Your friends have decided to change their names, although I will repeat what I told them: I believe it is unnecessary. They all reside in Gryffindor."

"Figures," Draco sighed.

"You have the option of being placed in your old houses, or resorted," Dumbledore rested his fingertips in a pyramid as he studied the eclectic group before him.

'_So I have to decide to betray Slytherin by becoming a Gryffindor, and I have to become something other than a Malfoy or a Black' _Draco thought.

"I don't need to change my last name, I have no relatives here," Jane decided. "But…" well, maybe she didn't want to be Jane Johnson here, victim of empathic rape and daughter of world leader extraordinaire. "I most definitely don't want to be placed into the house I was sorted into," Jane announced. She purposely avoided Emma's look, not wanting to have to explain to her friend when she had been sorted. Not yet, at least.

"I was also a Gryffindor, so I will stay," Ginny decided. She couldn't see herself as a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, and the fact she could see herself as a Slytherin was a bit frightening. "I don't know about my name, my parents are both graduated so I'm not related to anyone here."

"It is my understanding the Weasleys are an extended family, you could pass as a cousin, perhaps?" Dumbledore asked.

"I am the first girl in the family in a long time, no one would believe me," Ginny feared.

"I doubt anyone is carrying around the Pureblood Family Chronicles to double check that on you," Draco pointed out.

"Okay, I'll stay Ginny Weasley," Ginny decided. "I'll just say I am a very distant relative, surely my family isn't infamous as the redheaded Weasleys yet," she smiled. She had the evil thought of taking the name Potter just to see what Harry's reaction would be, but kept that thought to herself.

"My mother is in school, still. A sixth year I believe, so I need a new name," Luna thought happily.

"Nargle?" Draco suggested, smirking.

Luna pondered it for a moment. "Nargles are not a good omen," she decided, rejecting the idea. She turned to Jane. "If you are not using your last name, may I? It is a perfectly good surname and no one here will be any wiser. We could be cousins."

"It's all yours," Jane nodded.

"That was my idea," Draco sighed. "I can't be a Malfoy or a Black."

"You and Luna could pass as cousins more easily than I," Jane decided. With her raven black hair, high cheek bones, and a lack of aristocratic features, she had no features in common with Luna or Draco. "You can both be Johnsons. I'll be Jane Williams."

"So we have Draco and Luna Johnson, Ginny Weasley, and Jane Williams," Dumbledore smiled, enjoying the conversation. Since no one would remember this when the septuplet left, he found the thought process they were all putting into this amusing.

"What are your names?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Uh…we are all O'Neills," Harry laughed. "We are passing off as cousins."

"Not that farfetched, then," Ginny nodded.

They followed Dumbledore back down the stairs to the Great Hall, and since most of the student body were in attendance, Dumbledore announced their presence. At the last minute, Draco surprised everyone by telling Dumbledore he belonged in Slytherin. Not batting an eyelash, Dumbledore announced, and as the prefect for Slytherin came up the same time as Lily and James, Dumbledore said: "I hope that all of you will make our very special guests feel most welcome."

"So …" Peter asked trying to piece together all the names.

"Draco and Luna Johnson, Ginny Weasley, and Jane Williams," Lily introduced the new students.

"How are you two related?" Alice asked Luna kindly. Beyond the blonde hair she couldn't see a resemblance so she guessed they weren't siblings.

"Cousins," Draco and Luna said (Draco slightly tersely, Luna very dreamy).

"Of course," Sirius sighed.

"Wait, Weasley. Wasn't there an Arthur Weasley a few years ahead of us?" Frank remembered. "I was pretty sure he had all brothers, though."

"Cousin…" Ginny began but everyone groaned.

"Wizard genetics are totally bonkers," Lily declared. "Pretty soon, I'm going to find a cousin _I'm_ related to here at Hogwarts."

"I am not related to anyone," Jane announced happily, her eyes dancing in merriment behind her rose tinted glasses.

"Is this your boyfriend, Emma?" Lily asked happily, studying Draco. He definitely fit the description: dreamy, athletic, bad-boy attitude.

Sirius was the only one surprised with the announcement, his forkful of food missed his mouth.

His reaction was greeted with feminine laughter as introductions were made and people took seats to each lunch. Emma watched Draco go off to the Slytherin table, confused. Jane felt sick to her stomach and looked everywhere except the Slytherin table. She ignored the blatant stares of her glasses—but realized that it was the 70s, she might be getting some envious stares for the first time in her life. She tried to focus on her friends and the entirely crazy situation they found themselves in.

Jane watched as Luna talked quietly, excitedly with Neville. Emma kept looking towards the Slytherin table, a small frown gracing her face. Jane felt nothing and wondered if Emma and Draco were having a mental conversation. Sitting between Ginny and Lily, Jane looked between the two redheads. Then at Harry and his father. _Woah. Crazy! _Jane laughed.

"Why is a yankee studying abroad?" Sirius asked curiously.

Jane smiled. "I've been everywhere, so why _not_ come to Hogwarts?"

"Where have you been?" Lupin asked curiously.

"China, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Madagascar, Egypt, South Africa, France, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Brazil…."

Sirius laughed. "And you chose to come to dreary Scotland to go to school?"

"Well, my first choice was California," Jane said honestly. "Things just happen sometimes. Que Sera, Sera," Jane shrugged happily.

"Your glasses are great," Alice said, jealousy tingeing her words. Jane nearly choked; it wasn't the usual reaction she got.

"You should see what she wears on New Years," Emma smirked.

"Do you have your timetables yet?" Frank asked as they got prepared to go to afternoon classes.

The newest timetravelers pulled out their time sheets. Their schedules were pretty much identical, Jane was the only one with an extra class as she took Theory with Emma. Lupin, Sirius, James, and Frank stayed behind as the girls took the exchange students on to class. "That makes four mages now; and I'm pretty sure I saw Order of Merlin, First Class on the two new girls' robes," Frank whispered.

"This is too weird. They are all too young, how the bloody hell did four of them get Order of Merlin, let alone Mage?" Sirius wondered.

"Nothing has happened, at least publicly, that would have earned someone either of those awards," Lupin decided. If someone had done something so marvelous to earn such a huge award it would have been in the papers.

"Is it just me, or is Lily finally warming up to you?" Sirius teased James as they caught up with their friends. It led to laughter and teasing of both James and Lily before entering their history class.

After an afternoon of classes, Jane was famished. Curiosity had always left her hungry. The group at the Gryffindor table was opening, she thought happily as she took a seat next to Emma. She wanted to be close to Emma for emotional support; this had to be such a huge, marvelous adventure for her.

The food had just arrived when a sweetly menacing presence fell over the group. Everyone turned to look at the Slytherin girl who stood behind Ginny and Luna. "Seriously, are there any more of you coming?" Diane asked. "I mean…wow. How did _all_ of you manage to snatch a Mage robe?"

Emma felt Jane stiffen but didn't reach out to acknowledge or comfort her friend, not wanting Diane to realize Jane's discomfort. If they were lucky, _really lucky_, Diane wouldn't realize how uncomfortable Jane was. Make that, how _nauseatingly frightened_ Jane was.

"Mage insignia is one of a dozen items that cannot be magically duplicated, Diane," Emily said haughtily. She had always found the Slytherin girl a right pain in the arse (despite the fact everyone else in the school seemed to fawn over her), but to come up and look for a fight?

"I didn't say duplicate, Potter, I said stole. I'll keep it simple for all of you," Diane smiled. "I'm just impressed, it doesn't seem like something Gryffindors would do. Most impressive," she waved, smirking, as she sauntered back to her table where her boyfriend of the week was waiting.

Jane let out a breath, Emma squeezing her hand. _How am I suppose to get through a whole entire school year? _Jane wondered.

* * *

><p><em>As always, a HUGE thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! Hopefully once the semester ends next month I'll have more time to write!<em>


End file.
